Perspectives on Human Communication
By Richard Kleifgen
Summary
The article explores human communication through the lens of Jain philosophy and asks how we should evaluate the use of a life. It begins by contrasting a flower that blossoms unseen in a forest with a sister whose beauty is exalted in a city park, illustrating the different ways of living that confront each person. According to Jain thought there are two basic drives in life—a yearning to communicate and reach out, and an inward pull toward self‑realisation—and the art of living lies in balancing them. Drawing on stories from the life of Mahāvīra, the text shows how the Jinas reorganised the monastic orders, gave women and former slaves a respected place in spiritual life and advised kings and princes on governance, thereby using communication to uplift society. The article analyses the basic drives of self‑preservation—food, shelter and procreation—and explains how these can be refined into emotional sharing, creative expression, artistic endeavour and, ultimately, selfless service. In Jain epistemology there are five kinds of knowledge: sensory knowledge, scriptural knowledge, clairvoyant knowledge, telepathic knowledge and perfect knowledge; each represents a deeper mode of communication that moves beyond words. At the highest level the soul, freed from the bonds of karma, experiences kevala‑jñāna and communicates by its mere presence, radiating energy and joy. The essay notes that karmic particles obscure the soul and distort communication, and emphasises the importance of right belief, right knowledge and right conduct in removing karma. By practising non‑violence and cultivating non‑attachment and many‑sidedness, one can dissolve old patterns of attraction and aversion and develop reverence for all life. The paradox of the kevalī who has no personal desire to speak yet teaches others out of compassion illustrates that the ultimate communication is an exchange of energy, not of words. The author concludes that true communication is both a basic need and a spiritual path: as one purifies one’s consciousness, communication shifts from a means of gratifying desires to an act of compassion that leads to unity with all beings.
Conclusion
Communication, when viewed from a Jain perspective, is not merely an exchange of words but a movement of consciousness. As karma is shed and awareness deepens, communication evolves from basic social interaction to the compassionate sharing of wisdom. The enlightened soul communicates simply to guide others to freedom; by practising non‑violence, non‑attachment and reverence for life, human interactions become a path to liberation and unity.